Table leg unit for use, in plurality, with a table top



W. W. MILLER Oct. 19, 1954 TABLE LEG UNIT FOR USE, IN PLURALITY, WITH A TABLE TOP Filed Oct. 27, 1952 Q W 6 w 4 4 A, A 4 5 8 a .l m v 3 3 k -lk lllll |I r 6 n u M n x R I. L MW 0 V I M 2 2 I Z g 6 o 3 r a YIVAV M w L J m F I 9 4 4 5 A 4 Km 5? INVENTOR. WALLACE w. MILLER.

with

AGENTS.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLE LEG UNIT FOR USE, IN PLURALITY, WITH A TABLE TOP Wallace W. Miller, El Cajon, Calif.

Application October 27, 1952, Serial No. 316,988

2 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to table legs and more particularly to collapsible detachable table legs.

The primary object of this invention is to pro vide collapsible detachable table legs which may be used with standard sizes of plywood panels, or the like, to form portable tables.

Another object of this invention is to provide table legs of the type described which are attached to channel members to be clamped securely to the table top, requiring no adjustment to obtain a rigid support.

Another object of this invention is to provide table legs of the type described having pivoted brace members and which are compact when folded and ofier a minimum of obstruction beneath the table when erected.

Another object of this invention is to provide table legs of the type described which may be used to join together a plurality of table top sections to form an extended table surface.

Finally, it is an object to provide collapsible detachable table legs of the aforementioned character which are simple, safe and convenient to operate, and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device in the erected position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view of a portion of the device.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation view of the device in folded position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation view of an alternative construction.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic fragmentary plan view of the device securing two sections of table top.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the device comprises a cross tie H) of rectangular cross section steel tube or similar material having at each end opposed parallel side plates 12 welded to the vertical sides of the cross tie. A leg I4 is pivotally mounted to and between each pair of side plates I2 by means of a hinge pin or rivet It, said legs being of rectangular cross section metal tube equal in width to the horizontal width of the cross tie Hl so that the leg I 4 is rigidly supported between the side plates I? while remaining sufficiently free to permit pivotal movement about the axis of the hinge pin [6. The legs l4 are supported in the erected position by means of hinged stays indicated by the numeral l8, each hinged stay comprising a metal channel link 20, U-shaped in cross-section, and having at one end lugs 22 formed integrally with the side or flange portions of the channel link. The lugs 22 are pivotally connected to the cross tie It by means of a hinge pin 24. The hinged stay l8 also includes a looking link 26 of channel form which is pivotally connected to the link 20 by means of a hinge pin 28 and is provided with a tongue 30 which rests against the outer surface of the link 20 when the stay 18 is in the extended position as illustrated in Fig. 1. The remaining end of the locking link 26 is pivotally attached to the leg I4 by means of a hinge pin 32 which passes through lugs 34 formed integrally with the side or flange portions of the locking link. Each leg M has at its upper end a channel clamp 35 welded thereto, said clamp being a lengthof metal channel substantially U-shaped in cross section and being reinforced and supported by means of a gusset 38 welded to said clamp and to the leg l4. The legs I4 are supported in correct vertical alignment in the erected position by a stop formed by the end 39 of the cross tie in as indicated in Fig. 2.

An alternative structure is illustrated in Fig. 4 in which the metal cross tie I0 is replaced by a wooden cross tie 40 and the metal leg I4 is replaced by a wooden leg 42 said wooden leg being pivotally connected to the cross tie 40 by means of a hinge 44 secured by means of screws 46. A channel clamp 48 similar to the channel clamp 36 and a gusset 50 similar to gusset 38 and welded to clamp 48 are secured to the wooden leg 42 by means of screws 52.

The table top 54 is rigidly secured in the clamps 36 by a wedge action provided by a taper formed in the lower flange 56 of said clamps as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The leg I4 is of such a length that a recess is formed as indicated at 58 in Fig. 2, said recess being equal in depth to the maximum thickness of the flange 56 so that the table top 54 will rest on the cross tie [0 while in the erect position thus providing adequate support for said table top and eliminating any undue strain on the clamps 36.

The table top 54 may be of plywood or other suitable material, one particularly convenient table top being of plywood 8 feet long, 4 feet i 3 wide and inch in thickness, which is a standard manufactured size and is easily obtainable. Such a table top would be economical in cost and sufficiently rigid to be used with two of the table leg units described in this disclosure. It has been found in practice that the plywood sheets of the size mentioned are produced with in such close tolerances that the table leg units, if fabricated to'the required width to accommodate such a plywood sheet, will form an equally rigid structure with all such similar sized plywood sheets. It should be understood, however, that the utility of the table legs described herein is not limited to use with plywood sheets but could be adapted for use with specially manufactured table tops of varying materials and dimensions.

Referring once more to Fig. 1, it will be .noted that one of the hinged stays I8 is illustrated on one side of the cross tie 10 while the remaining hinged stay is on the other side of said cross tie. This feature permits the use of an identical leg assembly at either end of the cross tie, thus facilitating manufacture by eliminating the necessity for right handed and left handed legs. It is a further feature of this device that a continuous series of tables may be assembled using only one table leg unit at the junction of two table top sections abutting as indicated at 60 in Fig. 5, the clamps 36 being of suficient length to provide a rigid support at such a position. This arrangement provides a minimum of obstruction beneath the table and a reduction in the number of table leg units required.

It will be obvious that a table of the type described may be erected in many ways. However, a particularly convenient method may be practiced by placing the table leg units on the floor in the folded position as illustrated in Fig. 3. The table top is then inserted into the clamps as indicated at 62 and the cross tie is raised to rest against said table top. The remaining legs are now locked in place and the table may be rotated to an upright position.

"The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and 4 the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departurefrom the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A table leg unit for use in plurality with a table top, comprising a horizontal cross tie, side plates attached to either side of and extending beyond said cross tie at each end thereof, legs pivotally mounted between said side plates, table top edge-engaging opposed channel members on the upper ends of said legs, means to lock said legs in vertical positions with said members engaging ,a table top, said channel members being substantially U-sha-ped in cross section and having side flanges to fit over the edge of a table top, the flange adjacent to said pivot connection in each leg being relieved to facilitate entry of the channel members onto the edges of a table 'top.

2. A table leg unit for use in plurality with a table top, comprising a horizontal cross tie having a pair of flat plates secured to each end thereof, legs having a pivot connection with said flat plates, table top edge-engaging channel members on the upper ends of said legs, means to lock said legs in vertical positions with said members engaging a table top, said means comprising collapsible braces mounted to and between the legs and said cross tie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,398,471 Smart Nov. 29, 1921 1,564,189 Anderson Dec. 8, 1925 1,780,394 Kalgren Nov. 4, 1930 2,089,429 Rossow Aug. 10, 1937 2,419,778 Imes Apr. '29, 1947 2,533,147 Sparks Dec. '5, 1950 

